Everywhere you turn experts are outlining their predictions for 2019 so I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring and share what I believe to be the trends that will shape the world of Shockwave Therapy over the coming year based on my own personal experience.

INCREASED MEDICAL REFERRALS Doctors and physicians are waking up to the benefits that Shockwave Therapy can bring to their patients. In 2018, I saw a marked rise in the number of enquires I received from professors who were looking to refer patients with very specific issues, like joint replacements that had failed to respond to surgery, and stop complex medical revisions.

I was also inundated with requests from medical professionals seeking to build on their basic shockwave training. As some of you know, I’ve spent the past 14 years working closely with the leading shockwave bodies to develop a robust training protocol that has helped orthopaedic surgeons, sports physicians, physiotherapists, osteopaths and podiatrists solve problems in their clinics and develop successful shockwave services. I’m a qualified trainer in both focused and radial shockwave and also author of The Shockwave Solution – The Non-Surgical Answer to Becoming Pain Free’.

Last November I was invited to Switzerland to meet with members of the European Swiss Dolorclast advisory board, who’d gathered to set the standards and protocols for the delivery of shockwave treatment in Europe and around the world. I was in the presence of some very learned people, and asked to present my findings and experiences of using the treatment on athletes, which brings me nicely onto my next point…

SURGE IN POPULARITY AMONG ATHLETES Speaking of athletes, I think there’ll be a surge in the number of professional sportspeople trying the treatment as awareness grows. Some premier league football clubs in the UK currently use Shockwave on their players, as well as overseas clubs like AC Milan football club. Its scientific research centre, the Milan Lab, has researched and used Shockwave Therapy as a way of keeping their athletes in peak condition and resolving chronic injuries.This year I’ve successfully treated players with patella tendinopathy – severe inflammation of the main tendon that attaches to the lower part of the kneecap and shin bone, which has often been torn or degenerated in some instances. The players had all undergone surgery in the hope of rectifying the problem but were still in severe pain and had exhausted every other option. Most players had been suffering with these problems 2-3 years before seeing me; they couldn’t run, squat and had difficulty walking down the stairs. After undergoing Shockwave Therapy with me, they were able to start a successful rehabilitation programme for the first time because they were not in pain. Going forward, I think we’ll be treating more and more athletes as well as regular patients as the shockwave solution message spreads.

MORE SHOCKWAVE SUCCESS STORIES I believe more and more success stories will be heard as early adopters of the technique enlighten others about how it has helped, and still continues to help, years later. Last year I did an interview with Dr Peter Campbell, a very well respected medical practitioner who had this treatment for separate Achilles tendon and tennis elbow injuries. It worked. Six years on, he has had no further relapses, runs regularly and recommends the treatment (see the related video interview here).

To find out more about training in the evidence-based Swiss Dolorclast method you can contact me on 0208 662 1155